A BREAKTHROUGH IN INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT IN THE NETHERLANDS : THE CASE OF THE EASTERN SCHELDT STORM SURGE BARRIER

摘要

In 1976, the Dutch government decided to build a storm surge barrier in the mouth of the Eastern Scheldt estuary. The decision was primarily the result of a political and costly compromise between flood defence and preserving the (marine) environment. Now, almost 25 years afterwards, this decision is considered a breakthrough on the way to integrated water management in the Netherlands. Large engineering works like the storm surge barrier induce short and long-term changes in a water system. Therefore a cost-benefit analysis should be carried out for at least the life span of the construction. This analysis should involve all aspects in and around the water system in question. Then it can be an important tool in the planning and decision-making process, as shown by the case of the Eastern Scheldt. It was during the eighties that researchers became increasingly aware of the enormous consequences of these works on both the tidal and the socio-economic environment. Many of these were not and could not have been foreseen in 1976. Our present knowledge in the fields of marine science and civil engineering is extensive, but we are still not capable of anticipating all future changes due the complex nature of marine environments. The challenge is to cope with these unexpected changes with a flexible and adaptive water management approach. In this respect, the bold decision in 1976 to build a storm surge barrier instead of a closure dam has opened the gates to a more integrated water resources management approach in the Netherlands. Multidisciplinary projects and public participation have become common elements of the Dutch planning and decision-making processes.